Foldable Water Bag for Damaged EV Cooling and Transport

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for removing and passivating damaged electric vehicles are cumbersome, difficult to transport, and inefficient, as they require large, bulky containers that spill water and are not easily reusable for emergency situations.

Innovation Solution

A foldable, liquid-tight bag with internal dimensions larger than the vehicle, which can be positioned under the vehicle, filled with water, and secured for transportation and passivation, allowing for efficient and safe cooling of electric components to prevent spontaneous combustion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rigid, open-topped container is used to transport wrecked electric vehicles, then the vehicle can be securely contained and cooled, but the container becomes difficult to transport to accident sites and water spills during transport

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle containment and cooling effectivenessVSAvoidtransportability to accident site
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the rigid container with a flexible, liquid-tight bag that can be easily transported to accident sites. The flexible nature allows it to be moved without the difficulties associated with rigid containers, while still providing secure containment when deployed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The bag is designed to be dynamic in its deployment - collapsed for transport and expanded for use. This allows the same structure to provide both easy transportability and secure containment, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Volume of moving object

If a large container is used to hold the wrecked vehicle, then adequate space for cooling is provided, but the container becomes difficult to transport even when empty

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontainer capacity for vehicleVSAvoidtransportability
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible bag can be collapsed to a compact size for transport and then expanded to provide adequate volume for vehicle containment and cooling. This eliminates the transport difficulty associated with large rigid containers while maintaining the necessary capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If water is used as an extinguishing agent in a rigid container, then effective cooling is achieved, but the water becomes contaminated and requires thorough cleaning of the container

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire extinguishing effectivenessVSAvoidcontainer cleaning and reuse
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible bag is designed as a disposable or easily replaceable component. After use, instead of requiring thorough cleaning of a permanent container, the bag can be discarded or replaced with a new one, eliminating the cleaning requirement while maintaining effective fire suppression.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Stability of the object's composition

If a rigid container is used for vehicle removal, then structural stability is maintained, but the container cannot be quickly deployed and must be specifically requested each time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontainer structural stabilityVSAvoidresponse time for emergency operations
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible bag can be quickly deployed from a collapsed state, enabling rapid response to emergencies. Unlike rigid containers that require specific requests and preparation, the flexible bag can be rapidly deployed when needed while maintaining adequate structural stability for its purpose.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a compact, lightweight, and cost-effective method for removing and passivating damaged electric vehicles, preventing water spillage and allowing for multiple containers to be readily available for emergency use, effectively cooling electric components to prevent re-ignition.

Implementation Method 1

The bag is filled with water. The filled bag is transported to a storage location, where it rests for at least a few hours, in particular 72 hours.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Data Source

PatentEP3887202B1Method for transporting away and for rendering harmless damaged motor vehicles
Publication Date: 2024.01.10 VETTER GMBH
  • EP3887202B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3887202B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

In the method for transporting away and rendering harmless a damaged, electrically-powered motor vehicle (20), a collapsible, liquid-tight bag (24), which a) has internal dimensions that are larger than the external dimensions of the motor vehicle (20), and which b) has a bottom (28) and a side wall (30) connected thereto is arranged beneath the motor vehicle (20). The motor vehicle (20) is lifted so that wheels (32) of the motor vehicle (20) are in the air and the side wall (30) of the bag is passed under the wheels (32). The side wall (30) is then raised in a ring around the motor vehicle (20) and the bag (24) is held in this state by means of a hoisting device (44). A process of filling water (46) into the bag (24) was previously started. The filled bag (24) is transported by means of the hoisting device (44), which is preferably mobile, to a storage location where it remains for at least a few hours, preferably 72 hours.